HABITAT PROJECTS

Our projects and activities show the heart and soul of the Arizona Elk Society! Other groups marvel at the involvement of our members and they ask how we do it.

It is quite simple, we plan and actively share with our members the tasks that we do. We understand who our stakeholders are and keep them informed on our activities. Then we work with other conservation organizations plus state and federal agencies tasked to support the land and wildlife, seeking to develop strong partner relationships. Whether the task is working in the fields of Arizona to improve habitat for wildlife or it is working on an educational project for youth or fellow hunters, it is fun to work together and share our skills.

The founding members of Arizona Elk Society saw the need to give back in order to help the Arizona elk population and its habitat. The method they promoted were activities done "hands on" and "hand-in-hand" with our partners to truly benefit all members of the team and not just ourselves, thus the total team become stronger. Our members enjoy this approach and come out and help showing their support.

This is the Arizona Elk Society, a group that takes its mission to heart; showing by action what is means to a group of hunters who are true conservationists with a very clear objective to preserve the hunting heritage for future generations...

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WATER FOR WILDLIFE PROGRAM

Throughout the American West, thousands of waters have been built to benefit wildlife populations with around 850 built in Arizona (Rosenstock et al. 1999). Many of these were built decades ago and are need of repair and are lacking sufficient capacity to hold water during extended dry periods. Due to the importance of wildlife waters to the managing the diverse wildlife populations in Arizona, the Arizona Game and Fish Department implemented a team to review and report on recommendations needed to improve the wildlife water program in Arizona (AZGFD 2003). Two of the recommendations of this team are key to the development of the AES Wildlife Water Program.

SAWYERS

The Arizona Elk Society, in 2013, worked with the USFS to certify 14 Wildland Chain Saw operators, Sawyers, to work with AZGFD and the USFS to restore wildlife habitat throughout Elk range in Arizona. Each year since we have had some new volunteers get certified, as we grow so does the work that we can be doing for elk and wildlife. We restore grasslands, riparian meadows, and much more by removing invading pine and juniper trees.

BUCK SPRINGS ALLOTMENT

This allotment had many issues that made many parts of it challenging to the family that had worked it for years grazing cattle. Many threatened and endanger wildlife species live in the area and with the restrictions to grazing, it wasn’t economically feasible to graze cattle. The AES signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Forest Service to work towards improving and restoring the natural elements of the habitat for the wildlife and our future generations.

IDA GRASSLANDS/SLATE LAKES ALLOTMENT

Historic overgrazing and fire exclusion have allowed junipers & pines to encroach upon hundreds of thousands of acres of historically open lands on the Kaibab National Forest. IDA Grasslands serve as a habitat for elk, mule deer, wild turkey - and most notably - pronghorn antelope.